The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-04-20
UNITED IN DEATH.
BY w. a. PHIL.

SWELL" said Tom, in reply to my re-
peated and imperative request to be told
how it happened, "ifyou must know, will
have to ask you to 60 back in mind to the
little but glorious old Green Mountain
State, and to 90 some dozen miles out from
Montpelier, into the township of w. You
know the lay of the land we'll, as it is an
old fishing ground of yours. As YOU pass
through, or about, the huge powders OF
the Devil Land you suddenly come to an
opening and view of a beautiful lake,
from which the land recedes in gentle,
smooth, rising slope or elevation, till mile
away it reaches high hills thickly covered
with timber. Several houses of good size
are near the lake and cross roads, at which
place a very pretty white church and school
house is built. Coming out Of Devils
Land abruptly and gazing down upon this
lovely valley, it certainly reminds one of
paradise, or vale of happiness, peace and
plenty.
son the right end of the lake lived good
old Deacon Lyman, who was pillar OF
the church, and, indeed, needed piiloW
during services. He farmed his broad
acres, doated on his 'thorbred stock of
cattle and sheep and Morgan Blackhawk
horses; his granary was full as was his
DOCkel-DOOk anu Dunh dCCOuHl llc ilNtu
in the old green stone house built years
ago by his ancestors; he was comforted
and blessed with wife, two sons, and a
daughter of seventeen, and this daughter
was lovely as pink rose, and good as she
was beautiful. She was complete puzzle
TO the old Deacon-a puzzle he could not
solve with his hens and haws, or cording
to no boss rules of his'nr She was just as
great an enigma as ever was produced In
the woman line. IL was sore puzzle, as
we'll as sore spot in the old Deacon's
heart; he fretted morn and night about
her. And not unconscious of this Ethel pur-
sued the even line of her life, learning all
the musical accomplishments and Biblical
lessons with astonishing rapidty. Her
biscuit and bread were of the whitest and
lightest, and, if they tickled the old Dea-
cons faster and pacitied his stomach to
such an extent as to allow him to doze and
snore in his easy chair In the corner by
the chimney, her music would startle
him from his semi conscious state
with the belief that he was entering heav-
ems gate and being welcomed by angelic
music. He was often found i'll the library
gazing at the old painting of one of his lady
ancestors, TO whom Ethel bore strong re-
semblance. After looking long at this por-
trait he would turn away muttering, i fear,
has escaped awful troubled
about half mile east OF the old Dea-
cons lived William Harrington. You know
that large brick house, with immense red
barns? He also was great on 'thorbred
stock and maple sugar; he also owned
saw mill and sent thousands of dollars
worth of lumber to market. His farm
joined Lyman's, even to the mountain top.
He had two daughters and two sons; his
two daughters had married the Deacon's
two sons, so the families were by these ties
CLOSELY united. Harrington's eldest boy,
Willie, was tall good looking boy, an ex-
g. cellent specimen of son of Vermont He
was the best athlete in the township, fine
scholar, good worker, and level-headed.
The Deacon often consulted Major Har-
rington to urge Will to marry Ethel, but to
this arrangement the lady and the Major
strongly demurred. Yet there was an ex-
,cellent understanding between the two.
Now L have told you just how things were
up to 1860 and now"
Nov trouble begins, said Sandy.
"Shut up, sir; or quit. No interruption,
Walt, understand? The winter of 60-'6i
came, and with it the Grand Social
and Scriptural Play at the church
for the benefit of the township poor, and
pay for preaching. Rehearsals were going
on. and afterward brave men and beautiful
women walked homeward, enjoying the
New England winters moon, and crisp, in
'vigorating atmosphere. IL was amusing to
see the country boys earnest and eager in
their desire to be Ethels champion on the
homeward walk. They gathered around
her by the dozen; her admirers were many,
and she graciously gave each a recognition.
Well, things had come to pass that an in
structor was wanted TO polish up the voices
e. Al Il. A loIto Il ot.I.. Il
to Elder Peabody, but no reply had yet
been received. Deacon Lyman was up the
Montpelier turnpike looking at his maple
orchard. but now sat moodily meditating
about the sociable and its outcome, and
why Elder Peabody did not answer his let
ter as a good, upright Christian man
should, when there came to his ears the
words of a song that sends a thrill through
the veins TO the heart of every New England
man, especially Vermonter. In this in
stance the Deacon's jaw dropped, and his
rudy face paled and eyes flashed. His
blood seemed 10 recede from his heart as
the clear, peculiarly sweet voice came float
ing on the breeze to his ears. The words
were sung with an emphasis, an unctuous
tntonation. never dreamed of by the sim
ple-minded vet shrewd Deacon. The
singer drew near and ended his song thus
-Others may seek the western cline;
They say tbs passing fair
THAT sunny are its laughing skios,
And soft its balmy air
We'll finger round our childhoods home
Till we die i'm old New England,
And sleep beneath her Handicapped granite
hills.
Hurrah for old New England. etc.
This IL our own. our native
~'Hello. old boy What the deuce's the
trouble? Weeping! Folks use you bad?
Wife pull hairY
-Yes, the song had struck a chord in the
Deaeon's composition that brought tears
like rain from his eyes. He wiped them
away, and dried his eyes with his check
cred cotton, and turned TO look at the new
conner, who was a tall, broad-shouldered
young man, With very dark complexion,